RE: Need help explaining to her father why she needs the high backed booster seat...
Check the law in your state. Some states require a harness until 40 pounds. That should be a motivator for him. And perfectly reasonable of you to say "she can't ride with you unless your car seat is LEGAL!!!".
Perhaps something like the Cosco Apex? It will convert to a nice booster later.
Also BACKLESS boosters are not rated for kids less than 40 pounds. Until 40 pounds, the only boosters that are labelled for use are high back boosters like the Graco Turbo Booster and the Britax Parkway. Some high back boosters require a min weight of 40 pounds too (Britax Bodyguard for one) so be careful when buying. In WA state for example, the law regures you to use a seat according to the manufacturers recs. So using a backless booster with a 37 pound kid is illegal even if it is not spelled out in the law.
Tell him that she has outgrown the convertible by height and thus your choices are the combos or SOME high back boosters.
http://www.safekids.org/tips/tips_car.htm
You are in GA, right? Here is the law for Georgia:
http://www.inventiveparent.com/lawsreg4.htm#Georgia
So no backless booster unless she is 4 and 40 pounds, as specified by the labelling.
(b)(1) Every driver who transports a child under six years of age in a passenger
automobile, van, or pickup truck, other than a taxicab as defined by Code Section
33-34-5.1 or a public transit vehicle as defined by Code Section 16-5-20, shall, while
such motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway of this
state, provide for the proper restraint of such child in a child passenger restraining system
appropriate for such child's height and weight and approved by the United States
Department of Transportation under provisions of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
213 in effect on January 1, 1983, or at the time of manufacture, subject to the following
specific requirements and exceptions:
(A) Any such child weighing at least 40 pounds may be secured by a lap belt when:
(i) The vehicle is not equipped with both lap and shoulder belts; or
(ii) Not including the driver's seat, the vehicle is equipped with one or more lap and
shoulder belts that are all being used to properly restrain other children;
(B) Any such child shall be properly restrained in a rear seat of the motor vehicle
consistent with the requirements of this paragraph. If the vehicle has no rear seating
position appropriate for correctly restraining a child or all appropriate rear seating
positions are occupied by other children, any such child may be properly restrained in
a front seat consistent with the requirements of this paragraph;
(C) A driver shall not be deemed to be complying with the provisions of this paragraph
unless any child passenger restraining system required by this paragraph is installed and
being used in accordance with the manufacturer's directions for such system; and
(D) The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply when the child's parent or
guardian either obtains a physician's written statement that a physical or medical
condition of the child prevents placing or restraining him or her in the manner required
by this paragraph. If the parent or guardian can show the child's height is over 4 feet
and 9 inches, such child shall be restrained in a safety belt as required in Code Section
40-8-76.1.
(2) Upon a first conviction of an offense under this subsection, the defendant shall be
punished by a fine of not more than $50.00, except in the case of a child who is five
years of age, if the defendant shows to the court having jurisdiction of the case that a
child passenger restraining system meeting the applicable requirements of this subsection
has been purchased by him or her after the time of the offense and prior to the court
appearance, the court may waive or suspend the fine for such first conviction. This
exception shall apply until January 1, 2005. Upon a second or subsequent conviction of
an offense under this subsection, the defendant shall be punished by a fine of not more
than $100.00. No court shall impose any additional fees or surcharges to a fine for such
a violation. The court imposing a fine for any violation of this Code section shall forward
a record of the disposition of the cases annually to the Department of Public Safety for
the sole purpose of data collection on a county by county basis.
(c) Violation of this Code section shall not constitute negligence per se nor contributory
negligence per se. Violation of subsection (b) of this Code section shall not be the basis for
cancellation of coverage or increase in insurance rates.
(d) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to buses, as defined in paragraph
Katie, mama to a pair of boys.